You hate that sound when you hear your board crack, your having a great skate session and now your flow and momentum is interrupted putting in a negative mental skate! I’ve heard it way too many times and the count stands at 55. As Im a 190 lbs skater destroying decks is just way too easy. Take a look I’ll at my Blind and Santa Cruz boards and why they failed – and what actually works for riders our size. I believe and being transparent and honest and just give real evidence from my skate graveyard.
Skateboard Deck Failure Reasons
When you’re 190lbs like me, what works against you is the physics. Here’s what destroys a deck:
- Center cracks can happen for a variety of reasons but when much force happens inside the concave area of the deck cracks appear.
- Having cracks appear on the front and back of the truck deckbolts can happen from being too flat footed when landing flip tricks.
- When boards are made of cheap wood delamination can occur.
- At 190lbs, your impact force is 3X harder than a 140lbs rider
Blind deck durability Failure
“My Blind deck cracked in the centre after 3 weeks from attempting a front side bispin off a 1 foot ledge when my back foot landed squarely on the tail causing the centre crack “.
Santa Cruz Deck Problems
“Santa Cruz truck zone failure – That kickflip was the last trick attempted before the crack but it wasnt the sole cause, constant force got it to the point of imminent destruction”.
Blind vs Santa Cruz: My Crack Autopsy
After testing both brands street skating at 190lbs:
| Failure Point | Blind Deck | Santa Cruz |
| Crack Location | Dead center | front truck back deck bolts |
| Lifespan | 3 weeks | 3.5 weeks |
| What Broke It | Attempting Front side bigspin | Landing kickflip heavy fo |
🛹 Top 5 Durable Decks for Heavy Riders (190lbs+)
- Baker Hardcore 8.25″ Deck
- Lasted 6+ months with the same tricks I practiced with the blind/SantaCruz decks but only having razor tail made want to change to a new deck.
- 9-ply Canadian maple with extra glue layers make a great choice.
- Blind R7 ( Eg. TJ Rogers Pro Model)
- The ideal answer for addressing “Blind deck durability”
- It reduces cracking because of the Epoxy resin that bonds 7 maple plies, reducing delamination at pressure points 3.
- There is a 30-day breakage guarantee
- The ideal deck for Street skaters needing flick response + center-impact resistance.
Currently Not Available
- Santa Cruz VX (e.g., Screaming Hand 8.25″ or Winkowski Pool Shape)
- The Fiberglass/carbon layers gives your deck a great chance to avoid cracks.
- The VX construction prevent truck-area splits
- Size matters: 8.25″+ widths distribute weight better
- Santa Cruz Powerply (e.g., Star Wars/Yoda Deck)
- Extra ply below trucks absorbs torque stress and prevents cracks near the hardware giving you the ultimate technical edge with these decks.
- Great graphic designs for aesthetic appeal
Currently Not Available
- Blind Super Sap R7 (Eco Option)
- Has a bio – based epoxy and the same strength resin as the R7
- Performs identically to standard R7
Currently Not Available
Skate Smarter, Not Lighter At 190lbs
Do yourself a favor and avoid the same mistakes I made for years and get your skating off to the right track so you can skate every session without the worry of having cracks appear kills your flow, costs you cash, and makes you question if skating loves you back. snapping 55 decks wasnt fun and the only way to overcome this persistent problem was putting my Blind and Santa Cruz decks on the autopsy table; and here’s the truth revealed , your weight doesn’t have to be a death sentence for your deck.
My Blind and Santa Cruz decks just couldn’t handle the physics of 190lbs landing tricks.Lasting 3 and 3.5 weeks isn’t value for money . The truth of the matter is that impact force of a 190lbs rider hits 3X harder than a 140lb rider. Center cracks, truck bolt cracks, and delamination are the reality of cheap wood not meant for skaters.
Thankfully, there’s a solution. After 7 years of making poor deck choices, I found gear that survives. My Baker Hardcore deck lasted 6+ months doing the same tricks that destroyed the others. Why? 9-ply Canadian maple and extra glue. Bones Hard Bushings absorbed truck stress, and 1/8″ riser pads became my impact insurance. Make a wise choice and get the best out of your equipment without compromising your talent and dedication to skating.
Tips From a 190lbs Crash Test Skater
- Rotate your trucks around monthly to distribute pressure points on deck.
- Dont skate in wet conditions because wet glue layers fail 5x faster
- Listen for “ticking” sounds – first warning of delamination
